The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-25
HOPPER AVERTS A PANIC.
A F0oL CRIES FlREp' AT WALLACK's
MATINEE AND ESCAPEa.

A Piece OF Red-hot Limo Dropped frer, The
Caieiuua Light On 60 The stage a.d Fire
nsa Went Out % Cat 10. snd Then the
Feel sheuted-Aetsr Hopper % the Frsus.
A New York audience hesitated again yes
terday on the verge Of q causeless panic, and
again crack-brained fool In q crowded thea
tire yelled a false alarm and escaped unknown
and unpublished. wallack's was crowded at
the matinee. The audience which had gath.
cred to laugh over Suppe's comic opera, Bell.
man." consisted chiefly OF women and children.
There was q scattering Of men throughout
the house. and q number OF men and boys
gathered inside about the door, All moved
smoothly until the last act. The scene here
shows the interior Of hunting castle. The
lovers had Just answered an encore to q
charming duet. and De Wolf Hopper. 80 the
corpulent herring dealer, Netis Elreoaard, was
convulsinR the audience with his topical song,
which concludes each verse with the words:
do you catch tho ideaf II you do. It's all
right"
Several times he endeavored to leave the
stage. but the audience wouldn't let him. At
length he told them about the Boulanger-
Ferry duel. and In the last limo produced toy
pistol. pointed 1t upward toward the right Of
the stage. and fred tiny can. Before he
had time to add the climaoterio inquiry the
stage suddenly became very light, loud
suffering was heard behind the scenes Q thin
line Of brightness that looked like fire appeared
at the upper left OF the proscenium arch. and q
email. red-hot object, like . burning coal.
popped out from the left OF the scenes upon the
stage. To cap the climax, fireman In uniform
rushed across the stage. and the curtain was
The explanation Of all this was vsry ample.
An emRlSyes had turned the IiShts SI p aScl
HsasS To- reansss S them wsrs
visible to . part q the AUDIENCE. The sputter::
the calcium LIGHT 70 tho lon. which i
f: :s ssS Ssas sas e..
the stage from the patent water drop overhead
Who Is ststioned tfh there DURING evsry perioIm
ance. ran on the stage TO remove the heated
The audience. however. were tsnora9t Of oil
IN q sdss 70
and smiled g sneouIsgtngIE the. ~ ,F T0ye.
tbs FOOLS .epporuni.y. standing in ne back
sbou ss tsp 9f II. voice. SSss .h ne
dispappeared. He was, young. well dressed.
and sported = cane and 4 dIdlsh sir; AZ the
70 Ssf the the 1sSs sh
women started mp tho aisle. and . frightened
feminine voice In the gallery shrtsked:
MY Godl Take me out"
Then the. cheerful tones Of the actor behind
s sss '0steR Ss. rsnf un Sa thst s AZ
III vs ;. a. IRE you may be sure l wouldn't
The people paused. and with happy in-
SEPARATION Mr.. Hopper said:
Do you catch the idea II you do, oil right
That settled It. Those nearest the stage re;
the example. The curtsin vas rsissd. having
been down less than minute. and Hr. Hopper
added another verso. Still the audience was
not at ease. 1t had not recovered from the
shock. Mathilde Cotrelly came on the scene
In the character Of Elregoards Jolly wife, and
demanded:
Wh e. afs you doing hssrs Az eSy E.'I h.
Ing some little conddences with these good
folks les none OF your bustnese.n
Everybody laughed. the ladies' o little family.
to be sure, and the play was resumed.
BY the time the act and the opera were con-
cluded however, confidence was wholly re-
stored, and the audience had had time to sp-
preeiate Mr. HopPsrs GOODNESS. The result
was that he was called before the curtain and
most vigorously applauded before q movement
was made to vacate the theatre Tho incident
had no effect upon the evenings business, and
capacity.